2024 ESG Report
Deanne banks on a change
February 19, 2020
Last year, Deanne Harvey made a big career change: after 25 years working in the floral department, she started a new job as a Payments and Rewards Representative (PRR) in the PC Financial® division at one of our stores in St. John's, Nfld.
It all started when her previous position changed to include produce and prepared fresh foods, and she realized she didn't really love what she was doing anymore.
"It was a nice time for a change. But Loblaw has been very good to me over the years, so when I was thinking about wanting to try something new, I knew I wanted to stay within the company," she says.
That said, a job with the PC Financial brand wasn't on her radar. In fact, Deanne didn't even realize that she could apply for a role with the PC Financial division at first.
"Floral is located right next to the PC Financial pavilion, so I was kind of close with the bank crowd; I was speaking to a PRR there and she happened to mention that she didn't have her discount card yet, and that's when I realized that she was a Loblaw colleague," she says.
When the PRR mentioned that the department was looking for new colleagues, Deanne saw an opportunity. She applied online, got the gig and moved the 15 feet or so to her new department. And despite the fact that she was now working in a new division, she had zero nerves about the change.
"It was easy. There were no challenges, no sacrifices. I couldn't have found an easier transitional role for me, honestly!" she says. "Even my schedule was quite similar to what I was doing before."
The most exciting part of the new role for Deanne has been the chance to stretch her skills. "In my other field, I felt like I had reached my peak on what I could learn," she says.
To prepare for this role, she spent four days in Toronto training, and now that she's on the job, she says she's constantly learning new things and developing new skills, like building relationships with customers and being knowledgeable about the PC OptimumTM program.
Changing jobs was a bright spot in an otherwise difficult year—Deanne's mother is ill and dealing with her cancer diagnosis has been emotionally challenging. But it has also given Deanne perspective on her own life.
"Looking at my age, if I didn't do it then, I wasn't going to do it," she says. "And I've learned that I can make a change and be happy. I'm only sorry I didn't do it 10 years ago!"
